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Past Speakers

1987 - Linda Bradford

Linda Bradford was born deaf and attended the John Tracy Clinic in Los Angeles, California, at a young age. She was mainstreamed in public schools as a child. Active in sports, she attended California Polytechnic Institute, where she studied physical education and mathematics. She competed in the Deaflympics, winning gold medals in 1969 for track and 1973 for volleyball. After graduating from college, she taught physical education at California State University at Northridge for five years. She returned to graduate school in New Mexico and studied for a doctorate in the computer field. At the time of her Edmund Lyon lecture, Bradford was Associate Systems Programmer and lead operator for Honeywell.

After moving from Indonesia to the United States, Tan attended Gallaudet University and earned a bachelor's degree in sociology/social work. Following his undergraduate studies, Tan received his master's degree from Boston University in rehabilitation counseling. Tan's work focused on the counseling and rehabilitation of the Deaf and Deaf-Blind.

Kathryn Woodcock received her Bachelor of Applied Science and Master of Applied Science degrees from the University of Waterloo in Canada, with a specialization in human systems design. For eight years Woodcock was Vice President of Hospital Services at Centenary Hospital in Scarborough, Ontario. At the time of her Edmund Lyon lecture, Woodcock was a doctoral candidate at the University of Toronto in the Department of Industrial Engineering. She was also the first deaf president of the Canadian Hearing Society and a founding member of the Canadian Deafened Persons Association. Her work deals with breaking down barriers by designing systems in public and private spaces to accommodate people with disabilities.